I •~I
JOHANNIS ISAPCI HOLLAND!
CHYMIC~L TP.PCTATE
CALLED BY HIM
THE HAND OF THE ~HI LOSOPHERS
With its Secret Signs
PREFACE OF THE TRANSLATOR
After I had recently published the valuable third part of Opera Mineralis Hollandi, whose finding pleased me greatly and even more so as it is now in print and can no longer be withdrawn from the lovers (of the Art), and because, in my opinion, the present tractate deserves no less consideration, I could not — because I received those writings all together — rest till I had translated them from Dutch into our High German language, so as to get them also into the hands of my co—lovers, the usefulness of which will become apparent of itself after diligent reading. Do not doubt, therefore. We shall now have most of the writings of this very dear man in print in Latin and in German, that is, those which are the most important. Yet it would be good if the first two parts of Opera Minera lie were likewise accurately translated into High German from a true Dutch copy and not from the Latin text (because I have no time to do it). For it is possible that the Latin version cannot be wholly trusted, seeing that the same translator of the Opu8 Vini has not done his job too well. Even if the Latin text were correct, we have so many High German compatriots who do not know Latin but who also deserve to know it (The Hand of the Philosophers).
If someone were to object that, although it requires a great deal of effort and knowledge, there is not so much to the writings of Hollandus, a man who would judge in that way would reveal his crude lack of intelligence, since one can learn more from Hollandus than many a man can imagine. I am of the opinion that if all other chemical books were done away with, except Basilius Valentinus and Paracelsus, there would remain enough to learn from them alone. Yes, many a man who had botched and bungled on wrong ways for many years, when he finally comes across the books of Hollandus, finds the mistakes he made in the past vividly depicted, yes, perhaps even his future mistakes which he would have continued to make if he had not found better instruction in Hoilandus. Reading his printed books has so far not been as fruitful as it will henceforth hopefully be, because at that time alchemists did not understand his furnaces and instruments to which he refers everywhere. However, these have now been sufficiently described and illustrated in the third part of Opera Mineralis, so that I hope that now, due to my diligence and promotion, more progress can be made in Hollandue than before.
Yet, I am aware of one obstacle in this author’s writings which may deter many a reader. It consists in the fact that the author has the fault of repeating himself so often that many have found it more of a nuisance reading those repetitions than the author did in writing them. If such tautologies were cut out from the author’s writings, many would have more pleasure reading them, as I myself must admit that I found it a great nuisance translating that type of thing. But the reader must know that there are all kinds of people; consequently, also those to whom one cannot tell a thing often enough. What is said too much to lovers of brevity, therefore, is still too little for them.
For their sake we have to let the said tautology pass. Even without that, however, it is not up to us to change anything in the writings of famous people. The praise that I rightly accord to the writings of our author and whose reading I recommend should not be interpreted to mean that I am seeking to persuade every coarse reveller to plump with unwashed hands into these very important writings and to copy the Art without discernment. This is not my intention at all. I rather predict a totally fruitless effort to those who would do that, since in many things Hollandus wants to be understood quite literally. To do this, therefore, a trained reasoning mind is required if one is to benefit, in view of the fact that for teaching handy masters and simultaneously unhandy ones, just this Hollandus is as accomplished a master as can be found in the whole Turba Philasophorum.
Consequently, it is a pity that all his Opera as he wrote them one after another, are not put together into one Corpus, as Arnaldus Dc Villanova and other Opera are available. For, it may be assumed that what he wrote was not only all Chymica but also much Medicina, because he had been an excellent Medicue. God only knows where all his writings have been dispersed, because even at this time no one can be found who could give the slightest information on the place where he resided and at what time he actually lived. (Editor’s Note: See Appendix A)
Yes, we cannot even distinguish the works in print as to which were written by Hollandus Pater and which by Hallandus Filius, although that both wrote them may be seen in different places; also that Hollandue Pater, yes, also his grandparents, excelled in Arte Chemica, just as it is mentioned in Opere Saturni that Hollandue’ grandfather was the inventor of Olei Plumbi Philosophorum (Note: Olei is the Genetive case of the oil; nominative is: oleum), which had not been known to the old people. This leads us to believe that his grandfather lived at the time of Rairnundus Luilius, who wrote at least a hundred years before Hollandus Filius; because Lullius, in his letter to King Rupertus, also mentions that Oleurn Plurnbi Philosophorum was a new discovery and such a highly important secret that it seemed unbelievable to all old alchemists, because with it the Lapis Philosophorum could be wholly perfected within thirty days after its first fixation.
From this we conclude that Hollandus Filius had not become such a great master without reason, for he had as it were, inherited Arcana from his whole Familia. None of those who quote from his writings take note of this, but each writes Johannee Isaacue Hollandus, which, however, is mere confusion in my opinion. It should be written Johannes Iaaaci Hollandus, because the Dutch give only one name to their children. Neither do their children have a second name, but the father’s first or Christian name with the addition of the word “sen” or “son”. Consequently, according to Netherlands custom, the Younger Hollandus was called Jan Ieaacaen, that is, Johannes son of Isaac. To mention this here does not seem to me to be inappropriate. --
Some other tractates are ascribed to our author which are supposed to be still extant, such as, Dc Oleo Stibbi. It is no doubt the tractate which is in Basil’s Triumphant Chariot under the name of Baconis (Note: authored by Bacon). Yet by the style one may well infer that it is by Hoilandus:
Item Secretissima Reveiatio Manua lie Operationis Lapidis Philosophorum., Item Dc Sulphuribus &. These, however, I have not yet seen. If I obtain any of them, I will not withhold it from the lovers of Alchemy.
On the other hand, I also beg and exhort others, if they obtain a good writing, to apply the same measure to me as I apply to them; that is, to allow it also to be printed, so that we lovers get an opportunity to read it, in consideration of the fact that those works were written by their authors with the intention of promoting much good thereby. If then the good is to be promoted, it must get among the people. In a box or locked bookcase it lies immobilized, and nothing comes of it unless it gets into human hands and is read, so that some improvement in teaching, life, or manual operation may be achieved through it. It is difficult enough for it to bear fruit, and no hiding of good books is necessary; for as it is, they are hardly useful, even if the alchemists do all within their power and must first themselves surmount various difficulties. Thus, for instance, to write a good book is difficult to begin with, unless there is someone who has received the gift from God to write thoroughly; and when it has been written with a great deal of talent, it is difficult again. Because of envy, dogs in the manger like you and your like may get a hold of it, lock it away and keep it imprisoned for the rest of their lives, so that it neither benefits themselves nor
others.
When it has also escaped from this danger, it again has difficulties in reaching such men as are able to understand it. And when there are some who do understand it, it is again difficult to come across the book. If they do come across it, there is danger that the devil might prevent their getting the book. Finally, when these obstacles have been overcome, it is questionable whether it will help some people because of their unworthiness.
How should we powerless men not fare thus in our work for the good, since the Almighty Lord Jesus has fared the same way: All his labors are benefiting only the least number of people. Accordingly, as I mentioned, alsO good books
•that are not suppressed cannot accomplish much good, let alone that they are at first hidden and are rather granted to cockroaches and worms, which are curious enougt without that.
On the other hand, there is an excess of useless books bred every year like harmful vermin (“under changed titles, but always with the old tune”). Thus wrote Hippocrates, Calenus, Lutherus, Augustinus, the Corpus Juris, etc. — as if one could not see it oneself and first required a thousand foolish coaches and had, in addition, to render homaae to them before areat Doctores and Licentiatos, on account of their lousy citing and hundred-fold copying of other people’s books. The majority of their authors stand in need of first becomina good disciples and of learning some honest trade. But most of them reverse this and soon rise from their childish youth to the Doctor or highest teacher degree. Because they cannot earn it by the right kind of talents, they graduate through t~-7 money, just as if one let common water pass for wonderful wine through a written false certificate.
This is exceedingly strange to hear, and yet it is quite the fashion, not only in the world but even in Christendom, to graduate through money such young fellows who were still in grade school hardly a few years before. Yes, sometimes not so much time has lapsed since their neighbors saw them ride on sticks with other boys, or play other childish games. From where then should they get the great art of acting as Doctores and of writing extensive volumes, for which by right, a special gift of God and many years of experience are required. Nevertheless, such books without pith and power are written in heaps. Would God, that they were withheld and instead those of the dear men, of whom one is hardly seen in fifty or a hundred years, were strongly promoted. How long has it been since Paraceleus lived, and we still have not got his Herbarium! Likewise, we are still missing most of the dear Carrichter. Those who deliberately withhold those are public world-thieves, be they who they may. But enough of this, and I hereby recommend the reader to God’s protection and the inspiration of the Holy Ghost.
Written in February 1667.
Hand of the Philosophers
This is the Hand of the Philosophers with their dear secret signs, with which the old sages united with each other and took oaths. Nobody can understand this Hand with its secret signs, unless he becomes first a juror of the philosophers, (one who swore loyalty to a philosopher), and has loyally served them in the Art Aichemia Consequently, those who have not this Hand and do not understand its secret signs, nor have taken the oath of loyalty, are bastards in this Art. They do not possess the philosopher’s treasure That is why I advise all those who do not possess the secrets of the Hand not to start workinq in the aichemical Art, nor to believe books or writings, since they will all only be cheated in the secrets of the Hand. Therefore, everybody had better be careful.
In this Hand is locked the secret of the philosophers, that is, of the seed and the earth, as will be told later.
Now then, I will teach my child and describe the secret, hidden matter of the wise philosophers and masters of the true Art Aichemia. Nobody can use it unless he take the oath and swear not to divulge the Art and secrets and hidden signs of the sages, except he finds that it would be a good placement. In that case, he should also request the oath that that man should not use the Art except for the salvation of his soul. Only then can he be given the secret signs of the philosophers or sages, with their hidden signs and meanings.
L THE THUMB
First look at the thumb on which stands the crown next to the moon, one quarter old. By this is meant saltpetre.
For just as the thumb vigorously finishes off the hand, saltpetre does in the Art Alchemia, for he is the King and Lord of all salts. He is themill through which everything must be ground. His nature is elsewhere sufficientlydescribed.
2. THE INDEX
The second sign and secret of the philosophers is the STPP with six points, standing above the foremost finger next to the thumb. It is compared to Roman Vitriolo, because no work that is to be perfect can be completed without vitriol; for it is the greatest and strongest salt after saltpetre.It’s nature is described.
3. THE MIDDLE FINGER
The third sign of the philosopher’s Hand is the SUNS standing above the third finger. By it, Sal Ammoniacum is designated, for apart from saltpetre and vitriol, no thing more powerful is found than ~‘$f . That is why it is the third secret.
L~, THE PING FINGER
The fourth sign of the philosophers is the LM’TERN~ standing above the fourth finger of the Hand, whereby A lumen Roche in indicated; for without alum, no perfect work can be accomplished, because it is required for the Red and the White. It has an astonishing nature and the most subtle Spiritus.Its described elsewhere.
5. THE LITTLE FINGER
The fifth secret and sign is the KEY of the philosophers, standing above the little finger. Simultaneously, it is the lock of the Hand. That is why the key is standing on it. By it, common salt is designated, for salt is the Key in this Art.
6. THE MIDDLE OF THE HAND
The sixth secret sign is the FISH. It stands in the middle of the Hand and signifies Mercury~ for without or the fish~ nothing can be done. He is the beginning, the middle and the end, and he is the priest who must marry everything% And he is the male and the seed; he is the water out of which all metals have originated; and he is the principal (factor) of all Arts, and the greatest of all secrets.
7, THE PALM
The seventh sign of the philosophers is FIRE . By this Sulphur is indicated. It is the earth and beginning of all metals. It is the female who brings forth the fruit. For no seed can grow unless it be first thrown into fertile soil. Then beautiful fruit will come from it. Thus it also happens that when a pure is joined to a pure, it brings forth pure fruit. Thus, they are man and woman, father and mother, fire and water, seed and earth. This is sufficient about the seven secret signs of the philosophers. He who understands well this Hand and its signs, and can work with it, will derive joy from it. Now follows the Praeparation.
THE PREPARATION OF SALTPETRE
Take living chalk (quicklime), according to the quantity of the substance. Pour on it a good amount of urine. Let the lime slake in it; after it is slaked, let it settle, and our it off above (decant).If there are 6 lbs. of salt-petre, take 12 lbs or pints of pure urine, even a little more, but not less. Put it all together into a clean kettle. Boil it and skim it with an iron fish spoon. Put the latter occasionally into the Liquor and squirt into the fire. If it burns, or the coal becomes ignited by it, it is enough:
Take it off and let it cool somewhat. Now pour it into a large linen sack, like a claret sack. This sack has to hang above a barrel, 5 foot above. Soon there sprout cones in the water, one above the other, as if it were crystal. Take these out - it is the purified saltpetre. Now take the other saltpetre which did not sprout into cones. Pish it out and put it into the urine. Let it boil again as before and pour it also through the sack. It will immediately crystallize into long streaks, like the first. What stays behind is good for nothing; it is only salt which can be coagulated, and then it is common saltpetre.
THIS IS THE MANUAL WoRJ DONE WITH THE CROWN OR SALTPETRE c
Take 4 lbs of the Crown, prepared egg chalk, Sal Alcali made of quicklime, weedashes, potash of Sal Vitri of after-wine (residue of wine) or shoots of vine, calcined Tartarum, in equal amounts. These things must be prepared with the hand, as you well know. When they are prepared, dissolve them in distilled vinegar. Hang them in the Balneum to dissolve there for 21 days and nights. Then coagulate them in the Ajembicum, and keep the matter clean, so that no dust or impurity can get at it. After this, put them into a round, earthenware vessel, as illustrated here. Put it In Tripode or in the Athanor till the King is fixed.
Regulate the fire so that you can barely keep your hand in it — for the first 8 days. After this, let the vessel glow for another 8 days; but before you do this, divide it as if you wished to burn separating water; drive everything over that will come over, for it ~s of no use to the work, since the volatile spirits spoil all works, so that they cannot reach the state of fixation. Therefore, before putting it In Tripode to calcine, get rid of the volatile spirits, otherwise your work would not get fixed.
When it has been standing In Tripode for 14 days, take it out. Take 2 lbs of the Long Finger, which must have been sublimated.3 times through salt. Pulverize it with the powder you took out of the Tripode, and sublimate them together till the Long Finger becomes fixed.
Now dissolve this fixed powder 7 times in good, distilled vinegar. Let it settle each time, and each time separate the Feces, and congeal it again in the Alembic. Then glow the King in the fire, but take care that he does not melt. Do this 7 times, by dissolving, congealing, and glowing as before. Then the saltpetre is well prepared for the work. Keep it in a closed box of CYPRIAN earth, glazed with glass, and you have an infinite treasure, greater than you might believe , with which you can accomplish wonderful things. I will describe to you only one part of its effect, should you need the Art: By it you can turn all seven metals into their first nature, that is, into
To this end you must take a good amount of distilled vinegar anci*’ , and)~ of raw ~ ; add to it whatever metal you wish, provided it is calcined, then quickly seal the jar and put it in the Balneum or in horse manure for 21 days. After that, put it on fire with the Alembic, and distill. First there will be vinegar and -~ , afterwards the essence of the metal, that is, . With that you can do astonishing things. But there is a great deal of cheating in this; that is why we do not wish to describe it. When you have used the King and he has done his work, let the feces drop, pour off the pure, and coagulate as before. Then he will be better than before, because his power has grown tenfold by having been dissolved and purified with
4. and, as also next to the * , and by having been water and then congealed. One performs miracles with this King; that is why he carries the crown.
Also, he makes all red metals white, and all soft metals hard, and all hard metals soft, and I write more than I have been commanded to.
Also, make an Aqua fort of Cj~ Q ~ and ~ am; and to a quarter lb of this Ar., add ~ * ; dissolve in it ij lb ; draw off the Aqua fort Per Balneum, and you will thus kill . Then take 4 lbs of common salt to every 2 lbs of this Mere. Mix and pound it well together in a mortar; then sublimate it; then take it out and pound it again with 9 as before, and sublimate it. Repeat this 7 times.
After this, take 1 lb ~ , ½ lb ~ , mix them well with the sublimated Mercury, and sublimate again. When it is sublimated, take it out, and mix it again with fresh salt alone; sublimate again, and do this 3 or 4 times. Now pound it fine and put it into a glass vessel and set it to calcinate into the philosophers’ stove for 30 days and niglfts. Then remove it, and dissolve it in Balneo or on a stone in the cellar. When everything has been dissolved, put it to distill 7 times in Balneo, till everything has become hard. Then take it out, pulverize it small, and imbibe it with water of made thus:
Take fine cupel silver; cement it till it comes out white from the e ; dissolve it in Ar.; then draw it off Per Baineum; take it out, add to it as much * as there is 1~ , pulverize them together, and dry it. Then calcinate it for 30 days in the philosophers’ furnace. After this, dissolve it in Balneo or on a stone. Imbibe this water into your powder, and put it into a glass to distill Per Alembicum, so as to draw off the humidity. When it is dry, take it out and imbibe it again with water. Do this till all the water of has been imbibed into it. Finally, let it stand on the fire till all your matter is fixed. Then make your matter fusible till it melts like butter.
Also, when you have drawn out the Red from the fore— most finger, or from the fire, or from several other things, take 1 lb of the dry powder and 1 lb of the sun. But the sun must first have been 3 times sublimated through the key till it is transparent. Then take 1 part of the Red, ½ a part of the sun, powder them together and sublimate them. Then the sun will sublimate up, and the Red will stayat the bottom of the vessel. Take the sun out above and mix it again with the Red that stayed at the bottom of the vessel. Sublimate it again as before, at least 10 or 12 times. Now take
the same sun and the same Red, powder them impalpably, and put them into the philosopher’s furnace to quickly calcine for 30 days. Then take it out and dissolve it in Balneo. When everything is dissolved, you have a brilliant water with which gold would not want to be compared.Imbibe your elixir with this red water as you know.
PREPARATION OF VITRIOL
Take 3 or 4 lbs. Vitriolurn Romanum, dissolve it in Balneo, clarify it of its own impurity, and calcine it till it begins getting grey. Then dissolve it again, and let everything become pure again. Then calcine it until it becomes yellow. Now take the Tincture of Auripigment and gradually imbibe it into it. Dry it carefully, imbibe it and dry it again until everything has been imbibed into it. Then it is ready to sublimate Mercury through it, so long that he no longer desires anything. Then his stomach is full, and add each time fresh Species. Then it turns into a precious and a salt more splendid than gold.
AN ART OF ARTS
How to extract QUINTAM ESSENTIAM from ~or the PHILOSOPHERS’ STONE from the Hand.
Take 6 lbs. of glorified vitriol, as you well know how to make. Dry out all its humidity. Then take 3 or 4 lbs. of the Fish and 1 lb. of the prepared Key. Mix them together and put them to sublime. The Tincture will rise with the Fish in a secret and invisible way. If then you wish to sublimate the Fish once again with fresh and fresh Key, you may do so. Then you have the fish full of Tincture, but if you wished to separate the latter, make a water of the Hand, or a bad water with salt, or made with some of the long (Middle) finger. Put the sublimated Fish, which is full of the Tincture of the Star, into the Balneum, and it will dissolve into water.
Now take 6, 8, or 10 lbs of the Key, which has been prepared to sublimate through it. Put the Key into a Syburg jar and pour into it, upon the Key, what has been dissolved, so that it turns into a dry Materia. Otherwise the water would not putrify or go up in smoke (steam). Put the jar In Balneum, add a helm, and distill the Ar. over in a boiling Balneum, till nothing comes over. Following this, set the jar into sand, and more spirits of the Ar. will go over which did not rise out of the Balneurn.
When all the Spiritus have gone over, increase your fire and you will see the Quinta Essentia, or Tincture of the Fish and the said Star, sublimate as if it were a crystal stone. Remove it carefully from the Alembico and dissolve it again in fresh Ar. Repeat this 4 times, and the tinctures of Qu. Ess. of the Fish will become so subtle that it is unbelievable to write about it. The reason for it is that it was first dissolved and afterwards sublimated, and that it is killed and rises into a spiritual Corpus. In my estimation, it should be distilled and afterwards sublimated so often that it will obtain such great power that it would be worth a kingdom. Now you have the Qu. Ess. Vitrioli and ii together.
If you wish to make an Elixir of it, you must calcine it In Tripode; then dissolve it In Baineo with the water of the Hand; distill and sublimate it, and add the soul to it,
and congeal it, as I have taught of other stones. But if you wish to separate the tincture of the Star from the Fish, take good -* and distilled vinegar. Pulverize the Quintessentia and put it into the vinegar. Set it into the Baineurn. The will sink to the bottom, and the Qu. Ess. of the ~‘%will go into the vinegar. Pour of f the tinged vinegar, and pour fresh upon it. Put it back into the Balneum, and repeat this till the vinegar no longer tinges. Now put all the tingedvinegar together and take other (fresh) vinegar. In it, slake iron or steel 10 or 12 times. Now pour that to the tinged ,put it into a large glass and distill all the vinegar Per Alembicum in the Balneum. What remains, will be the most beautiful redness of the world, because the tinôture of the Fish stayed with the tincture of the Star. That us why the Fish is no longer of any use when the tincture of the Star is drawn off, because they both have the same nature.
With this tincture, you can work miracles, because it is indestructible just as heaven is incombustible; it changes everything into its nature and color, and thus it does to all stones & pearls.
THE PREPARATION OF THE SUN OR, SALIS AMMONIACI
M~moniac is of different kinds, that is, natural and artificial. Natural ammoniac is found in the earth, and it is again twofold, white and red. Both are extracted from hard. clean ores. It is sweet of taste; its nature is hot and dry; and it is good for washing and purifying. Further, there is also an artificial * , and that is better for this work than the natural; it is also nobler than salt, and changes Mercury into water. When it has been prepared with it, grind it and put it in a humid spot to dissolve. With it, one accomplishes the solution of and into living silver; and it is
Q which the dryness of the fire has congealed. It is hot and humid and is a subtle spirit for the Elixir, for without it, it could not be done. How to sublimate it, I will yet teach you, although through it the Corpora are not transmuted white or red into another substance, except by means of other spirits, it nevertheless gives to the spirits their entrance and exit; it purges and cleans the Corpora of their blackness, leaving the spirits mingled with the bodies, while itself going away.
SAL AMMONICUM, OR THE PHILOSOPHERS’ SUN
Ammoniac is the sun of the philosophers, which shines through all things and is the noblest Secret of the Hand, for by it I will teach you how to make the whole secret of the Tinctures, and in this way you can, if you wish, extract all other tinctures and use them for the great philosophers’ stone. For the Lap~e Minor you extract the things from the minerals, for the Lapis Majori from the herbs and Species that are not human; for like makes its like, a horse begets a horse, etc. Therefore, prepare like to its like; otherwise you follow wrong ways in this Art.
First I will teach you how to extract the tincture from gold, and how to make spirit and oil. Change the 0 to a subtle calx through calcination. Then take a broad glass slab or a glass vessel. Put the calx into it and pour on it good distilled wine vinegar. Into a “Nossel” (Note: obscure, old word. May refer to~a small vessel of some kind), put 3j of the middle finger’s Sun, and pour it on the gold caix in the vessel, reaching two fingers’ breadth above, it. Set it into the Balneurn or in a hot reflection of the sun. Then there will arise a small yellow skin on top, as if it were oil. Remove this with a silver gilt spoon, or with a feather. Do this several times a day, till nothing else arises to the top. Put what you have skiimned off into the Balneum and let the humidity evaporate. Then an oil w...
asaniol